Mojave
by StaffSergeant
Summary: It has been said that all roads lead to an end. Courier Number Six, Marcus, thought his road ended when the Bear took Hoover Dam and New Vegas. He was not prepared for amnesiac tacticians, sword and sorcery, and dragons that would end the world. The Monster of the West comes to Ylisse to have his own say in the fate of the world.


Mojave

The Exalt, the Tactician, and the Courier

_Continent of Valm, Shepherd's Camp_

Robin decided that looking through the stranger's things was not a good idea and thus was the one who hung onto them in the mean time. The silver haired tactician made sure the trunk was secure before she lifted the flap of her tent and headed towards the larger command tent where Chrom was, the Exalt was expecting her. It was probably over the strange young man they found floating in the river during their march deeper into Valm territory.

/

_"Chrom!" _

_"Lord Chrom!"_

_The Exalt looked over at their tactician then picked up the pace as he and Frederick approached where the tactician was waiting with Libra. Both of them were hauling someone out of the water struggling with the stranger's weight. He was slim but short, wearing a strange green duster over a suit of armor and tough looking pants and mud caked boots. His helmet was...intimidating, masking his entire face. Two green eyes glared balefully at them even though the man was unconscious. "FORGIVE ME MAMA" was stenciled onto the helmet. He had a multitude of weapons attached to his body, one of which was a set of knives, one was particularly broad and the other was more utilitarian, single edged like the first and with a tapered point. _

_He was also carrying a large pack which probably had his belongings inside. Chrom didn't hesitate in the slightest. Helping people was in his nature. The Exalt went to pick up the bag but Frederick stopped him. _

_"Milord, I encourage you to think about this. This stranger does not look like he's harmless. We are in enemy territory and he could be one of the Conqueror's men." The knight spoke giving the man a suspicious glance. Robin was about to protest but Chrom beat her to the punch. _

_"I understand your concerns Frederick, but I don't think this fellow is going to be harmful if he isn't awake is he? Come on help me get him to the healer's tent." The knight sighed but he did as he was asked. "Robin, could you grab his stuff?" _

_The tactician stooped and slung the pack's straps across her shoulders and stood up following Chrom, Libra and Frederick towards the healer's tent. _

/

"Ah Robin, good to see you." Frederick said as their tactician entered the tent.

"You as well Frederick." Robin replied cheerfully polite. She turned to Chrom. "So what are we going to do about our...friend?"

"Libra told me he was just unconscious." Chrom answered calmly. "He hasn't found anything wrong with him apart from a few bruises. He's fine. But what should we do if he's hostile? I'm not just going to stick a sword through his chest while he's unconscious."

"As I said before milord, he could be one of the Conqueror's spies." Frederick commented.

"True that," Robin agreed. "We should wait until he's awake, no telling what could happen if we just grill him for information. He might react negatively."

Chrom considered what his two confidants said and nodded. "Keep him under guard, Frederick I want Libra guarded at all times when he is with the stranger." The knight nodded and went to roster up some guards. "Robin see if you can find anything in that bag of his." The tactician gave her assent. As she was about to leave she nearly bowled over Lissa.

"Whoa, Robin! You scared me!" The sprightly cleric exclaimed and Robin steadied the girl, being the taller one.

"Sorry Lis," Robin apologized. "Did the stranger wake up?"

Lissa nodded energetically "Yep! He's awake!" She chirped. "Be careful though...He's kinda well, scary."

"How so Lissa?" Chrom asked looking concerned.

"You'll see." was all Lissa said.

/

The man they found had unkempt but short black hair and cold eyes that hardly held any light in them. He had sharp if young features and a large scar ran down his left eye. A charming if average looking young man by any respect but Robin found him to be extremely disturbing, she couldn't explain it. It was like the stranger had this terrifying aura around him. Like Tharja a thousand times over. No he was a lot worse than Tharja. It was his eyes that made her uneasy they were a clear but hard blue that seemed lifeless, as the Shepherd's tactician she had faced down many an enemy soldier.

Compared to this man, they had younger eyes.

Libra took over at that point. "Pardon me for disturbing you good sir but-"

The man exhaled. "W-Where am I?" his voice was low and rough, so quiet that Robin had trouble hearing him.

"You are on the Continent of Valm, my name is Libra." The War Monk said gently. "Rest easy now you're in good hands." The man simply looked at him then at Robin who gave an awkward wave.

"Hey there," she said with a quick smile. "My name is Robin...um, I was one of the people who found you in the river."

The man blinked then his terrible eyes narrowed intensely. "River?" he asked his voice noticeably turning hard.

Robin looked aghast at his tone. "Y-Yes...You were unconscious at the riverside." She heard Chrom's and Frederick's voices outside. She let them in and the conversation began.

The man called himself a Courier, Marcus Wards was his name.

"Where are you from?" Chrom asked. He was curious really because the man didn't look Valmese in the slightest. He probably wasn't even from Chon'sin considering that Say'ri had a certain look about her.

"...The Mojave," was the man's succinct answer. Robin attempted to look him in the eye. He wasn't lying even if Frederick was scowling at how rude the young man was.

"Mojave?" Chrom asked again.

"Desert. I work for anyone so long as I'm paid. Used to work for the Mojave Express as a Courier before..."

"Um before what?" Robin noted that the man had trailed off.

"I'm not going to tell you." He scowled. "Please don't ask me."

"Look..." Chrom said interrupting Frederick by raising his hand. "I'm not going to pry but you're obviously not from around here. We're at war, and I can't risk having an unknown out there especially someone as heavily armed as you are."

Marcus sighed. "Right, right." he whispered softly. He looked to his left arm which was encased in a huge bracer. No one in the tent had ever seen such a thing. It was glowing bright orange with the picture of a cheerful looking man in a strange costume. It confirmed that Marcus Wards was _definitely _not from anywhere in Ylisse.

_He must have come from the Outer Gate. _Robin mused. It seemed that Chrom had reached the same conclusion she had.

"W-What?" The stranger asked as everyone stared at him and his bracer.

/

Marcus recovered his weapons and duffel bag from the silver-blonde woman, Robin if he remembered correctly. First off he put all of his ammunition in a bandolier, magazines were attached onto his armor in the correct places. He picked up the All-American, a powerful marksman's carbine that fired 5.56mm rounds. He checked the clip found that it was still full and slung that over his shoulder. Next he holstered his .45, A Light Shining in Darkness. He holstered his Ranger Sequoia on the opposite side. His knives were sheathed alongside each pistol.

In full gear, the Desert Ranger Combat Armor made Marcus look a whole lot more dangerous. Even more so had he put his helmet on.

"Sorry about taking so long." Marcus apologized. He turned around holding his helmet in his left hand. "You said you had questions right?"

Robin blinked. "Ah...yeah." _Jeez, he has enough weapons to take on an army! Didn't he say he was a Courier? _

"So ask them," Marcus looked at her evenly.

"Right," Robin cleared her throat. "You said you were a Courier."

"I did." was the succinct answer. "Been doing it for four-five years now."

"But the...the weapons? The armor? Is it a dangerous job?" Robin asked, couriers usually travelled with armed guards. They didn't go out armed to the teeth and ready for war.

"Quite," Marcus answered. "There's a rule back where I come from: You don't screw with the guy who delivers the mail."

"So..." Robin gulped. "you've killed someone before."

"I've killed so many people that I've lost count." Marcus answered bluntly which shocked the tactician to the core. "What? Your blue haired friend said you guys are at war aren't you?"

"Yes...well, a-anyway!" Robin changed the subject immediately. There was no time, she had another meeting with Chrom that required her full attention. "Do you have any other skills that do not involve...erm, combat?"

"I know basic first aid, I can repair several types of weaponry, and I know how to lock pick." Marcus could have told her he knew how to hack into computer terminals, but knowing his luck she probably didn't know what they were. Jesus...Where the hell was he? He definitely wasn't in the Mojave anymore...or anywhere on Earth in fact. "Some people tell me I can apparently talk the Devil into setting himself on fire but that's another story."

"Okay." Robin was surprised to know that the man had skills in healing and in the forge. Cordelia had helped out in that case. He was also a master of speech if she got his expression right. "Thank you, um...You should talk to Frederick about getting a tent and getting your name on the roster."

"He's the guy in full armor isn't he?" Marcus asked Robin. The tactician nodded.

/

Frederick didn't trust him and Marcus returned the feeling in kind. But he could work with the guy and he seemed extremely dependable. He was just a tad obsessed with working and organizing. A real brown-noser from what Marcus could read.

"A tent? Yes we do have one." The knight led the Courier towards one of the empty tents. "Here you are, we can get you a cot in a few hours. Is there anything else?"

"No," Marcus shook his head. "I...Um...I think I'll be okay." It was the first time he ever got a tent of his own. It wasn't bad, most of the time he was sleeping in rented beds or on the ground somewhere after he littered the general area with traps and mines. The knight gave him a nod and headed off to do God knows what. Marcus lowered his duffel bag and checked through it in case someone ran through it.

Clothes, spare parts, Weapon repair kits, rations were all he had. Marcus had given away all of his caps to the Followers and anyone else who needed it.

Marcus rearranged his surplus of Stimpacks. While he did manage to get a Monocyte Breeder implanted having adequate first aid supplies was always a sensible choice. He tucked the packs in neatly and scrounged around for some food. He was about to carve open a can of beans when his tent flap rustled. In a startling display of agility he was up on his feet, a knife in each hand.

"Whoa!" The kid had a pot over his head, that was the first thing Marcus noticed as he lowered his knives and sighed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare ya." He had a kind of funny accent that Marcus had never heard before.

"It's fine...Who are you?" Marcus asked sheathing both blades.

"Donny! Err Donnel that is. You're that Courier that jus' woke up aren't ya? Everyone's been talkin' about you."

Marcus shrugged knowing that feeling. Folks back in the Mojave called him "True Mortal" or other names. People he killed either said "oh shi-" or gurgled blood.

"Well mister Donnel do you have some business with me?" Marcus asked.

"Uh..." Donnel scratched the back of his head. "Just saw you head in, we're about to have dinner ya know."

"Oh," Marcus said, he was quite alright with eating a can of beans but decided against it.

/

Donnel was a farmer's boy who had wanted to prove that he was strong. Marcus had been quite surprised to hear that he had experience in warfare. He seemed much too young for someone to go around killing people. The mess tent was bustling with people. Marcus took a look around when he realized a lot of people were staring at him mainly. There was one chick who, Marcus swore up and down that he wasn't drinking, had floppy ears that didn't belong to a human. Another was a little girl with vibrant green hair and pointy ears. She was also wearing scant clothing which probably explained why some of the men had uncomfortable looks. Marcus...didn't know exactly why he was making note of this.

What made Marcus feel rather astonished was that they all looked so very young, most weren't even out of their teens yet apart from a select few. And they were all at war... Donnel had told him that so long as Robin was their tactician, no Shepherd would ever fall in battle.

It was quite menagerie in here, Marcus mused as he tried the stew. His eyes watered considerably. The Courier didn't know what it was. Sure the food in the Mojave wasn't bad but compared to this...the stew was great. He wiped his eyes.

"Er...Hey, um...You're not gonna cry are ya?" Donnel asked looking concerned.

"No, no...my apologies." Marcus answered a little embarrassed as he went for another spoonful of stew. "It's just that the food where I come from is...not that good."

"Hey, hey it's the new guy!"

The man who took a seat next to Marcus was a large, broad young man with blonde hair tied up in a ponytail. "The name's Vaike!"

"Marcus Wards." The Courier answered politely.

"Vaike, quit bothering the poor young man!" Another blonde wearing pink vestments and a curly hair-do, Marcus couldn't describe it too well, but it made her look elegant nonetheless. The parasol helped. "Forgive him, sir. This oaf tends to be far too boisterous for his own good."

"Hey!" Vaike complained.

"There's no need for apologies..." Marcus interrupted politely as he could. "He was not disturbing me in anyway."

"Alright...You must be the newest member of our little band," The young woman curtsied. "My name is Maribelle, may I have the honor of learning your name milord?"

"Milord?" Marcus raised a brow. "That's a first for me, the name's Marcus Wards. Just Marcus will do fine ma'am."

/

Robin walked in to see the Courier actually talking to someone. She felt good when he saw that. The Shepherds were a close knit group and she had hoped that they would be welcoming to the new recruit. They had been accepting of Say'ri so far, she hoped the same would happen to Marcus the Courier.

She approached slowly, hearing the conversation.

"So what's up with the fancy get-up? The Vaike's never seen anything like that. You a fighter or something?"

"Had to be sharp," was the Courier's answer. "Delivering mail's not as easy as you think back home."

"How so?" Maribelle asked, if the man was a courier surely he wouldn't go out without a guard right?

"I'm crossing into territory that humans don't have business crossing." Marcus answered. "Sometimes the pay is way too good to pass up and since it is the only way I can make a living I never pass up a job, no matter how small."

"So you're a sellsword?" Donnel piped up.

Marcus shrugged. Civilian contractor, the bloody messiah to some he had a lot of names. Mercenary was a common one though. It was funny how things turn out. After that mess in the Mojave all he wanted to do was deliver packages again. Sure the Legion was still out there but the NCR had taken the Dam, The Lucky 38 was his and the Fiends were dying out. Life was boring back in the Mojave but he didn't regret any of his decisions. "Yes." Marcus said. "Though a lot preferred the term civilian contractor."

"Wow," Robin remarked. "You've probably seen a lot for someone so young."

The Courier turned to look at her. "Young?" he asked with a raised brow.

"Yeah you look...eighteen-nineteen tops." Robin answered. "How old are you?"

"...I'm twenty five."

That answer made everyone in the group speechless.

"T-Twenty-five..." Maribelle whispered. "Twenty-five?"

"Dang," Donnel said. "That's uh...wow..."

"You're almost as old as Frederick the Wary!" Vaike commented laughing.

Robin blinked as Marcus simply replied to their questioning stares. "People say I have a baby-face." He took a swig out of his canteen.

/

"So I hear you've talked to the new recruit." Chrom said to Robin as she entered the command tent.

"He's willing to work with us so long as he's paid." Robin answered. "We don't have to worry about him being the Conqueror's man." Still what Maribelle told her was disturbing.

_"There's no way he's an ordinary mercenary, Robin. He's confident about his abilities. I would be careful if I were you. He's no ordinary Courier." _

"I want to put him through his paces." Robin continued. "You said there was a Risen incursion back at the Valmese dock where we landed right?"

"You mean to put him on the front lines lady Robin?" Frederick asked incredulous. "How would we know if he were to stab us all in the back?"

"I agree with Frederick Robin." Chrom leaned over the table to look at her. "Is he capable of following orders?"

"I'm sure he is." Robin said smiling at her husband Chrom. "You two have trusted me so far haven't you?"

Chrom and Frederick looked at each other. The Exalt in turn gave a rueful chuckle. "Right, right..." Chrom said amused with his wife's mannerisms."Very well, I guess you'll be responsible for the roster then."

"Yes, in the mean time I believe our focus should be on offense considering how versatile our soldiers are with the reclassing..." All three got to work discussing strategy, short term for the Risen incursion and long term for the war with the Valmese.

/

"The fuck is that?" Marcus whispered to himself as he sighted up on one of the soldiers. His face and skin tone were...wrong. He wasn't a feral ghoul that was for sure. No rotting, falling skin and the man was wielding a sword. Most ghouls were

"That is what you call a Risen." Robin answered as they overlooked the village. Twenty in all and Robin herself was leading the group. Donnel and the rest were waiting for them. "Come on let's head back." Marcus nodded lowering his Marksman carbine and shaking his head. The Courier didn't understand exactly why Robin was out and about since he had just found out that she was not only the Exalt's wife but also his chief tactician. He didn't ask questions though he was a little concerned that someone important was out and about on the front lines.

Robin had the group spread out and move into the port town. She put Marcus in the left flank and told him to let the Risen come to him.

/

The Risen weren't very smart, Marcus mused as he stepped aside to avoid the undead axe man looking for a new head. Having just fired the last round in the clip of his carbine the Courier sneered under his helmet as he simply lashed out with Blood-Nap, cutting the Risen's throat. He watched impassively as it fell to its knees and crumbled into purple smoke and dust.

Shaking his head the Courier slung his empty rifle and drew his Ranger Sequoia. He took aim and squeezed the trigger, blasting a Risen swordsman backwards, a hole the size of a plate was blown into his side. As the former human turned to dust the lady with the red hair, glasses and wizard hat watched.

"Fascinating." She said loud enough for Marcus to hear.

"Excuse me?" The Courier turned to find that the lady had walked over to look at the Sequoia.

"Simply fascinating, it takes a surprising amount of force to create a wound like that." She said observing the Sequoia which Marcus had lowered. "Might I ask what kind of device that is?"

"...A gun?" Marcus answered, again realizing that this wasn't the Mojave. This chick was weird.

"Hmm, and I suppose this...gun is capable of dealing death at a distance?" the lady asked.

"I just blew a hole the size of a dinner plate into a guy's side and you're asking me that." Marcus deadpanned scowling. "And is this really the time to talk about how guns work?" With a grunt he turned and side kicked a Risen in the face.

Howling in pain the Risen was blown backwards by a fireball. As it burned, wailing Marcus turned back to his new observer. "Holy hell, did you...?"

"Hmm ah yes." The lady replied closing her book. "I merely used a Fire tome to dispose of that one, seeing as you have given me an advantage. Tell me sir have you not witnessed someone using the arcane before?"

"Uh..." Marcus really didn't know what else to say. He just watched someone fling fireballs.

"Marcus! Miriel!" Robin jogged over holding a sword. "You guys alright?" The Courier moved towards her aiming his pistol at her shocking Miriel. Robin blanched as she slid to a stop. She had seen what the device in his hand could do...

"Move!" The Courier shoved Robin out of the way as a Risen Berserker went to cut her in half. Marcus grunted. The armor held. His Desert Ranger Gear provided excellent protection against bullets and blades, and it had saved him on more than one occasion. Grabbing the axe's haft with an angry roar Marcus pulled the Risen in to jam Blood-Nap into his throat. Gurgling the monster turned into smoke as two more rushed them. Marcus shot one with his Sequoia and kicked the other off balance, allowing Robin to slice its head off.

"Are you alright?" Robin asked Marcus who nodded.

"I'm good..." he answered.

More came out to play as the rest of Robin's band chased them.

Robin watched Marcus fight, the Courier was _fast. _Extremely so, much like Lon'Qu or Gaius. But unlike Lon'Qu who had a skillful, if flowing style and the sneaky Gaius Marcus was a force of nature, a merciless desert wind. She watched Marcus as he shot a Risen in the side, it fell against him like a dancing partner. The Courier grabbed its neck using the Risen as a human shield against an archer which promptly lost its head to a shot from his weapon. The man was also an able marksman. Robin saw movement from the corner of her eye and dodged aside, causing the Risen swordsman to lose his balance. Robin thrust her sword forward to kill him.

Marcus then broke the Risen's neck and let it fall to the floor. He reloaded with practiced hands, loading one shell at a time into the Sequoia's cylinder. He lashed out with Blood-Nap, cutting another Risen's throat. The young woman with the curly hair, Maribelle he believed her name was, vaporized a swordsman charging her with lightning. Again Marcus was briefly in awe of seeing such a thing. That was when a Risen took a swing at him. The Courier spun out of the way countering with a spinning kick that sent the Risen reeling. Marcus gave a war cry as he reversed the grip of his knife and stabbed it deep into the Risen's skull.

/

"Success!" Robin smiled to herself as she pilfered the Silver Sword off of the Risen corpse that smoldered and turned to smoke. The blonde tactician looked up to see Vaike wrapping an arm around Marcus's shoulders as the fighter gave him a shake saying something congratulatory. The Courier's helm was buckled onto his belt and the man had an embarrassed look on his face.

She had to ask Vaike about that but she had seen Cordelia having trouble with an archer she had barely dodged. Robin had also seen that particular archer seize up and die a moment later, she had caught sight of the Courier's green duster.

/

"Nice job! I saw you take that archer out, if you weren't there Cordelia probably wouldn't have made it!" Robin commented cheerful.

Marcus looked up from his armor. Without his gear Marcus looked quite a lot thinner but nonetheless he was still just as dangerous. Robin didn't care about that right now but she knew that the Courier would be a good addition to their forces.

"No need to say thank you," Marcus said as he fixed up the dent in his armor. "I just did my job."

"Well, either way you saved someone's life. For that you have my thanks." Robin inclined her head.

The Courier gave another nonchalant shrug as he stood up from his handiwork. Being thanked for a job wasn't exactly his forte, saving people wasn't part of his job description either. Still it made him feel...good. He scratched his head embarrassed. "No problem."

/

Marcus tucked A Light Shining in Darkness into its holster clicking the weapon's safety on as he did so. Even though he wasn't in enemy territory only a fool would go out unarmed. According to his own observations and the clock on his Pip-Boy it was about high time for supper with the Shepherds, even more so because the Exalt Chrom was asking about him. He was in full gear, with his armor and weapons in place.

Shit. He never really dealt with royalty before but the books he had read told him to mind his manners, speak only when spoken to and consistently bowing. "I hope this works." He walked out of his tent.

The mess tent was loud and boisterous as usual. Marcus gave a cordial wave to Maribelle and Vaike who were arguing. He wasn't bothered but assumed that they were close, judging from the grin on Vaike's face.

He saw a pink haired woman in silk vestments squeak as she hid behind a large man in full plate when his eyes landed on hers. He shrugged at that.

"There you are!"

Marcus turned around. It was Robin. Chrom was sitting down on another table. The blue haired Exalt was watching curiously, his blue eyes locked onto Marcus's own. The Courier simply stared back for a bit before bowing his head politely.

"Take a seat," Robin gestured to the table. "Chrom wants to talk to you. Don't worry, he won't bite." She gave a glance at her husband.

Marcus took a seat in front of them. "So...what do you want to know?" he asked politely.

"You mentioned a place called the Mojave." Chrom answered. "And it seems that you're not very fond of telling Frederick too much about your past. It's not that we don't trust you."

"I understand. You're at war, you don't want any unknowns running about." Marcus nodded. "Fair's fair."

"Well this oaf has me out and about. You should be fine too." Robin elbowed Chrom in the side. The Exalt just shook his head with a wry grin.

"So what's your story?" Marcus asked Robin.

"Me?" Robin scratched her head looking a bit awkward. "Well...my story's still being written...or it has been. Don't know really I can't remember." Marcus blinked looking very curious.

"I found her sleeping in a field." Chrom said. "She didn't remember much other than her name and her talent for tactics."

"Ah..." Marcus was reminded of how he had started out in the Mojave. "Well, better than my own I suppose."

"What do you mean by that?" Chrom asked.

Marcus scratched idly at his head as he bluntly told them. "I was shot in the head and buried alive in a shallow grave." Robin gasped at the revelation.

"What?" Chrom's eyes narrowed. "How-"

"I was ambushed." Marcus said quietly. "My fault really for being foolish. The man's name was Benny and he wanted something I was meant to deliver. Being a Courier is a rather dangerous occupation after all. I was lucky that a ro-a good person named Victor was there to dig me out."

"And...?" Robin pressed.

"My road started the moment I woke up to find Benny." Marcus answered. "I crossed an entire desert to find the man who shot me in the head. And I succeeded in killing him. Next thing I know I was involved in a whole other shitstorm. One that hasn't ended yet."

He crossed his arms. "I...don't really know how to continue from here." He said quietly. "Part of me really doesn't want to discuss what happened after I killed Benny."

"If it discomforts you that's-that's fine." Chrom said. "I won't pry, but I still need to know if I can trust you."

Marcus gave a small smile. "I'm in a new world, Exalt. I got nothing now other than the clothes on my back and the guns in my hands. You could've let me drown in a river but you didn't. Where I come from that kind of good deed is rare. You're at war. Give me a target and I'll make sure it's deader than dead."


End file.
